Family, friends unite for Waxhaw woman

WAXHAW – Jody Sitton has always been a simple person. But as she cuts back her life to the basics, the people who really love her and will stand by her are beginning to shine.

Friends and family came together for Jody Sitton’s going-away part for her hair, after the Waxhaw woman was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. Her daughters helped cut her hair.

After being diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in September, a form that is aggressive and likely to return, Sitton said her friends from Waxhaw to New York have rallied to help her and her daughters make it through this tough time as she goes through 18 weeks of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, six weeks of daily radiation and reconstructive surgery.

“It’s like the town has been so cool and so many people have come forward to help me and the girls,” she said. “If everything goes well, they say you have to be out of work for six to eight weeks.”

Sitton won’t have any income while out of work since she is a hair dresser, but with the recent fundraisers held in Waxhaw and online, her family should be able to keep up with the bills. From friends bringing her freezer meals to online fundraisers selling T-shirts and old friends making personal donations to the upcoming Christmas fundraiser, Sitton and her daughters, 3-year-old Skylar and 6-year-old Zoie, will be well taken care of.

“She is a great model for breast cancer patients,” Waxhaw Mayor Pro Tem Erin Kirkpatrick, Sitton’s friend, said. “… Her attitude and her energy and the way that she is able to show that it’s OK to accept help to other people who are going through the exact same thing. … We are just wanting to be by her side and show her that we love her.”

The upcoming fundraiser, Stuff the Stocking for Jody, will take place Friday, Dec. 6, at Michael Ryan Realty, 6627 Pleasure Drive, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. During the event every child who donates $5 to the cause will receive a free slice of pizza and, from 5 to 7 p.m., a picture with Santa Claus. A silent auction also will take place.

“I think everything is donated, (Karen Johnson) just thought that would be an awesome way to raise some additional funds,” Sitton said about the Waxhaw Business Association-sponsored event.

But this isn’t the first time the community has come together to stand behind Sitton. After being diagnosed, Sitton knew she would eventually lose her hair because of the chemotherapy, so, in the spirit of a true hair stylist, her friends and family came together for a going away party for her hair.

“My 6-year-old wanted to cut my hair first and then the 3-year-old got in on it. I let everyone take a turn with the buzzer,” she said.

Thankful doesn’t even begin to cover Sitton’s appreciation for her community, especially after realizing it’s not just about paying for medical bills, but a lot of other expenses as well like gas money to and from Novant Health Matthews Medical Center, deductibles, money for going out to eat more because she isn’t up for cooking and more.

“I’m really blessed because in a way cancer has been a blessing,” Sitton said. “I’m kind of a simple person anyway … it’s been a way to show me, this cuts everything down to the basic elements and it shows you who your friends are.”

People wanting to donate to help Sitton and her family can make a private donation to Jody Sitton, courtesy of BB&T, PO Box 26, Waxhaw, NC 28173.